Marietta, Ga.-based Wellstar Health System has reached an agreement for Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa, Ga., and related entities to become part of the system.
The transaction is expected to close toward the end of 2026, pending regulatory approvals, according to a Sept. 2 news release. Stephens County Hospital is a 96-bed nonprofit acute care hospital that employs nearly 500 people and has a medical staff of nearly 200 physicians and advanced practice providers.
The two organizations already collaborate through a tele-stroke program, the release said. Under Wellstar, the hospital will gain access to the system’s specialist network, telehealth capabilities and operational resources.
Stephens County Hospital CEO Van Loskoski said in the release that joining Wellstar will allow the hospital to expand access to specialized services and invest in its long-term future. The hospital has expanded its surgical program in recent years, particularly in general surgery and orthopedics, and now has five operating rooms and two full-time orthopedic surgeons.
Wellstar plans a phased approach to integration, according to the release.
Wellstar operates 13 hospitals and more than 400 care locations with 35,000 employees.
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